A Virginia couple has learned their fates after they were arrested for fatally beating up a tenant and strangling him with a dog leash as forms of punishment.
Kristie Lynch was found guilty by a jury in Norfolk, Virginia, on one count of murder in the first degree in September 2025 in connection to the death of 45-year-old Jose Moreno, according to Law & Crime.
The ruling came one month after her husband, James Lynch, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case.
Both Kristie, 46, and James, 53, have each been sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for the crime.
James was sentenced in 2025, while Kristie learned her sentence from Norfolk Circuit Court Judge David Lannetti during a hearing on Friday, April 3.
The couple met the victim at their church in 2022. Kristie and James then invited Moreno to live at their apartment because he had “nowhere to go.”
Moreno suffered from a physical disability, which required him to use a walker.
In exchange for letting him live with them, the couple required Moreno to use a portion of his Supplemental Security Disability Income for rent and expected him to contribute to chores around the home.
Moreno was subjected to cruel punishments when he did not complete the chores.
James admitted that he and Kristie physically “punished” Moreno on several occasions when he didn’t pay the rent on time and when he didn’t complete his household chores to their standards.
Moreno was also punished when he spoke to his own family on the phone using Spanish. Authorities said that when he spoke to his family, he would be beaten and would have his phone confiscated by the couple.
James beat the victim with a frying pan just days before Moreno’s murder. Despite injuring Moreno, James reportedly refused to take him to the hospital because he did not want to be arrested.
The couple has also been accused of hitting the victim with a baseball bat, as well as strangling him with a belt and dog leash.
While Moreno’s exact date of death has not been confirmed, prosecutors said they believe he died on August 9, 2023.
“This case is one of the most heinous ways to murder someone that I could imagine,” Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily Woodley said during Kristie’s sentencing hearing, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Moreno’s corpse remained in the home for two days due to the couple’s fears of being arrested. However, they finally called 911 after they spoke to a pastor about the situation.
Despite being found guilty, Kristie has insisted that she did not take part in Moreno’s killing. Her attorney said during the hearing that she has lived a tough life, which included experiences with physical and mental illness.
“I hope someday that [Moreno’s family] can find it in their heart to forgive me,” Kristie said during the sentencing hearing.
